Second Chances
by tika12001
Summary: Maura's hurting over the way her most recent attempt at a relationship ended. Can Jane make her feel better?


**Title: Second Chances**

 **Author: tika12001 (aka Katie)**

 **Rating: K**

 **Summary: Maura's hurting over the way her most recent attempt at a relationship ended. Can Jane make her feel better?**

 **Disclaimer: Not mine, make no money but if I ask nicely can someone please send me Maura at least? (p.s. I do not copy and paste this disclaimer but I realized the other day that I write almost word for word the exact same thing in each story... LOL!)**

 **Author's notes: I wrote this a while ago when I was hurting, and then it had an entirely different ending... a sad one. I didn't post it then, because a good friend advised me not to do it while I was upset, to keep it and see how I felt several months down the track. Well, I followed my friend's advice... I gave myself 6 months before I looked at this again. And when I did, I decided a sad ending wasn't what I wanted. Because you know what, things may not work out, but there's always a reason, and life always has a surprise waiting just around the corner. She may not have been the one for me, but she lead to some pretty awesome changes in my life, and now I'm the happiest I've ever been (even though I'm still waiting for Miss Right... lol!). So, to that girl... if you're reading this, I hope you're well and happy. I hope life has wonderful gifts in store for you... because no matter what, you deserve it. Xo**

 _R &IR&IR&I_

"I just... I don't understand."

Jane sighed, uncorking the bottle of champagne. "I don't either, Maura. I guess..." she hesitated, pouring the champagne to explain her momentary silence while she searched for words, "I guess he just... wasn't ready?" She winced, hating the way her voice involuntarily rose at the end, making her statement a question.

"Wasn't ready? For a relationship, you mean?" Maura's arm was on the back of the couch, her body twisted so that she could still view Jane, who was now approaching with Maura's second glass of champagne.

"Yeah. I mean... doesn't that make sense?" Jane walked around to her spot on the couch, handing the glass to Maura who accepted it gratefully.

"I don't know. I suppose so." She mulled quietly for a moment, her finger absently tracing the edge of the glass. Jane took a gulp of her drink, her eyes skittering over to her friend. "Why wouldn't he just tell me though?"

Jane sighed once more. She wished she understood other people. She wished she could explain. But how do you explain to your best friend why someone refused to get in contact with her after a weekend together? How do you explain that there must be something _more_ going on, something beyond what meets the eye, and that sometimes people react in strange ways? Maura was an adult, and a mature one at that, but in so many ways she was endearingly naive. "It's only been a little while..." she finally said lamely, but bit her lip as Maura's eyes instantly dropped to her lap.

"It's been five days, Jane. Five days, and all I received was one message."

"Maybe... maybe he can't access his phone."

"He's been on social media," Maura said softly. "He can access that well enough. Why..." she stopped abruptly, shaking her head. Jane bit her lip, and silence filled the room for a few minutes. Finally, in a forced, light-hearted tone...

"Have you been facebook stalking him, Maura?"

A soft sniff was her only reply at first. Jane's spare hand curled up in a fist on her heart, and slowly, she leaned forward, placing her beer on its coaster on the coffee table.

"Maura, I..."

"Maybe it's me," Maura said, so softly that Jane almost missed it. When she finally registered what was said, however, she blinked.

"Huh?"

"Maybe..." Maura said softly, then squared her shoulders, raising her chin, her very posture the picture of one who is prepared to face the worst, "Maybe it's me," she repeated, a little bit louder, her gaze focused on something across the room. "It's because of me."

"Maura... I... no... it..." Jane spluttered inarticulately.

"Jane, I'm 38 years old, and I've only been in two serious relationships my entire life. One of them was with a man who smuggles medicines across the border, and for whom I will never be first priority, or indeed second or even third priority, while the other turned out to be a murderer." Jane winced, Maura's matter of fact tone hurting her worse than her tears ever could. "Every other relationship has failed because of various incompatibilities, or, in one memorable scenario, because it turned out that I was dating yet another murderer. If you look at the statistics, it seems quite obvious that in each scenario, there was a problem factor that did not allow the relationship to proceed to the natural conclusion of engagement, marriage and children, and, being that I am the only consistent variable in each situation, I am forced to conclude that it is me."

"Maura... honey... no..." Jane turned, taking Maura's hands in her own. She was shocked at the chill present in the appendages, and began softly massaging them, willing her own heat to warm Maura's body. "Look, you can't look at it that way..."

Maura was still stubbornly refusing to look at Jane. "I can't help it, Jane. I am a scientist, and I am approaching this in a purely scientific manner, which leads me to my conclusion of..."

"Okay, no," Jane said, shaking her head stubbornly. "Firstly, you are a doctor. Not a scientist."

Maura's gaze dropped slightly. "In my studies, I have undertaken many scientific courses and..."

"Nope," Jane interrupted. "You're a doctor. End of discussion. Secondly..." she shook her head, expelling a breath of air through her teeth, and tried to catch Maura's eye, "secondly, you're the most amazing person I know."

"I appreciate the positive reinforcement of my character, however, based on the evidence..."

"Okay, so that didn't work..." Jane bit her lip, looking down at the hands still within her own. They shook slightly; the only outward indicator of their owners distress. "Okay, so..." Jane thought quickly. "So... every scientific experiment has, you know, a lot of factors contributing and stuff, right?"

Maura perked up slightly, her breaths coming slightly more rapidly. "I... yes."

"And an experiment can't be considered valid until all factors are brought into consideration, right?"

Maura's gaze shifted so that she was focused somewhere north of Jane's right eyebrow. "Y-yes."

"So... ha!"

Startled, Maura's gaze snapped right to Jane's. "I... what?"

Jane smiled triumphantly. "Your experiment is invalid." Maura didn't say anything, so Jane continued. "You failed to take into consideration all of the people you tried to have relationships with, and why _their_ past relationships had failed."

"I... I didn't... but..."

"What?" Jane asked gently. "What, you thought that their past relationships _hadn't_ failed?" She smiled slightly to soften the words. "Of course they did, sweetie. They were in the same boat as you. Just trying to find love. But Maura..." Jane reached up a hand and, with only a momentary hesitation, ran a finger down Maura's cheek. Maura's gaze dropped, and Jane curled a finger under her chin, gently bringing her head up until their eyes met once more, "Maura..." Jane repeated almost reverently, " _both_ parties have to be willing to try. Otherwise..."

Maura nodded slowly. "I... I know what you're saying, Jane. It makes sense. I just..." she sighed, "I can't help but feel..." she trailed off and shook her head, her eyes focused on their still clasped hands.

"Hurt? Upset? Unlovable?" Jane guessed, and Maura slowly raised her head, her eyes watery.

"Yes to all three. Also," she laughed mirthlessly, "somehow... repulsive." She shook her head again, dropping her eyes once more, and Jane felt an ache in her chest that she'd only ever felt once before... when Maura's mother had been hit by a car. Then, too, she had felt the searing grip of helplessness as her best friend sobbed in her arms, and, while Maura was not sobbing this time, and her sadness was for an entirely different reason, her pain was no less palpable.

"You're not repulsive, Maura," Jane said in a rush, the words all melting together in her rush to get them out. "You're not repulsive," she repeated, slower this time. "You're beautiful, and amazing, and incredible... and if it was me," she hesitated briefly, looking at the woman in front of her, "I... well, I'd never let you go."

"You wouldn't?" Maura asked, peering almost bashfully at Jane through her eyelashes.

"No. I... God, Maura. I'd treat you like a princess, because that's what you deserve. I'd take you places and buy you pretty things, and always remind you that I love you and why I love you. I'd... I dunno, take you shopping in Paris, and complain bitterly the whole time cause you'd expect it from me, but I'd be too busy staring at you and I'd have to remind myself to complain half the..." she paused, realizing she'd gone too far, made it too personal, and now Maura was staring at her with wide eyes, "...time," she finished lamely, and looked down at her feet. There was silence in the room for several minutes while Jane fidgeted anxiously, and just when she was getting ready to bolt...

"Well, I wouldn't ask you to take me to Paris."

Jane felt her heart sink. "Of course, Maura, I didn't mean to imply... I mean, I don't... well, I do, but..."

"Italy," Maura interrupted Jane's word vomit with a gentle smile and a quick tap to Jane's knee. "Everyone knows that Italy has the best clothing districts in the world."

Jane stared at her until finally Maura leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"Will you come with me to Italy one day, Jane?"

Jane smiled. "Yes."

END

 **Maybe not my best, but I'm glad I wrote it anyway. Much love to all xoxo -Katie**

 **P.S. I have no idea where the best clothing districts in the world actually are. Just go with it. :-P**


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